Facial Fillers

Look Younger. Feel Younger

What is a facial filler and how is it different than Botox?

Facial fillers are what they sound like. They fill in!!! They replace soft tissue that has been lost as we age. If you look at a child’s lovely face, they don’t have lines or wrinkles because they have an abundance of fat in their face. As we age, we usually gain fat in the lower half of our body and lose fat in our face. In addition, they can be loss of skin elasticity as we age. Think of our skin as the wrapping paper and the fat and muscles of our face as the package. If the package shrinks with ageing, then the skin will hang and sag. Fillers can take up much of that laxity and, in fact, people refer to the addition of several cc’s of fillers as a “liquid facelift”.

Botox is a drug which is injected which causes the muscles to stop contracting. Botox is largely used in the upper face: the crow’s feet, between the eyes and the forehead.

Where are fillers commonly injected?

They are commonly and effectively injected along the infra-orbitial rim, zygomatic arch, into the cheeks themselves, into the tear trough, the nasolabial folds, the upper and lower lips and the areas above and below the lips, in the pre-jowl hallowing. into the cervical-mento line, into the temple hallowing, into a deep furrow in the glabellar line. Basically anywhere on the face where it can be helpful to add volume.

Will I look unnatural?

None of my patients want to look like those movie stars who look way over-injected and who resemble Daffy Duck more than they do a person. The key is not to place too much filler. I always explain to my patients, it is better to add on the side of caution and place a bit too little and come back in a week or two and buy some more filler, than overload an area.

Will the injection hurt?

The injection should be almost painless. You are getting an injection but it is very manageable. i never use blocks etc. Most if not all, of the fillers that I use, are already mixed with lidocaine. This will render the area numb.

What should I avoid before my appointment to get fillers?

It is best to avoid Aspirin, Bufferin or any type of blood thinner for the week before. It is also better to avoid drugs like Motrin, Advil, Ibuprofen etc. Tylenol is fine since it does not interfere with blood clotting.

Which Fillers do I commonly use?

I use Juvaderm, Voluma, Radiesse, Restyalane, and your own fat.

How long do fillers last?

Different fillers last different lengths of time. Juvaderm and Restylane usually last 10-16 months. However, in some individuals when it is injected in the lips, it can last a shorter period of time. Voluma lasts about 2 years. Radiesse lasts about 18 months and sometimes longer.

Will I bruise?

The vast majority of patients will not bruise. However, anytime you are stuck with a needle, you can get a bruise.